Sometimes in life, I feel it’s best to echo the iconic phrase espoused by Forrest Gump: “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
Indeed, life is home to a whole host of variations and oddities, many of which seem to defy the established societal norm. And as is the case with all things that are “outside” of what is considered normal, sometimes this can be a good thing; other times it can leave little more than a notable impression to those affected. Although even these may grow and develop in time.
In many ways, I believe this analogy is indicative of Tales of the Unreal, a collection of horror short stories made by a plethora of independent authors. However, don’t let my words dissuade you. Terror is very much the name of the game here, and although Tales of the Unreal occasionally stumbles with its material, what’s here still holds a quality that is undeniably entertaining. Not to mention pulp!
So what exactly do I mean by this? Let me explain…
Tales of the Unreal aims to recapture the glory of older pulp magazines published in the twentieth century, particularly those such as Weird Tales and Dime Mystery Magazine. Ever since that golden-era of “dime novel” mystique met its grisly end, the medium has managed to stumble along in one form or another, experiencing brief resurgences in the public eye, before returning to the forgotten annals of history.
What is left now are only we lucky few, the great-grandsons and -granddaughters of those who first put pen to paper, becoming great storytelling giants each in their own regard.
However, all of that first began on a smaller scale - specifically in the arena of short stories.
To close up this brief summation, dear reader, Tales of the Unreal evokes many of these same feelings brought about by old-time pulps. Each of the stories delves within its own subset of horror, ranging from classic hauntings to ships being stranded at sea. From running away from one’s problems to encountering strange entities hailing from the stars. These are only a few of the more insane ideas presented. They are also highly experimental, playing around with one or two themes brought to its uttermost extreme.
This is not even mentioning the different storytelling techniques - specifically characters, perspectives, and such - all of which give a unique feeling from one story to the next.
Two of my personal favorites were “Twin Candles” along with “The Nuclear Man”. The first of these runs with the idea of how a haunting can affect different family members, each experiencing their own version of hell brought about by supernatural forces. The other dives into more “nuclear” themes, so to speak, as a traveler works his way along a desolate road, hoping to deliver a package which isn’t at all that it seems.
Granted, not every narrative ends on a cheerful note. Some, I would say, can even feel a little confusing or unsatisfying at times. However, the overall prose, dialogue, and pacing largely outshine these issues - barring a few hiccups every here or there. I could probably go more in-depth by nitpicking what I liked or didn’t from each. However, considering that this is a place for new writers to hone their craft, I feel that would largely be redundant.
Yet I will say this. Tales of the Unreal is certainly worth your time for those looking in on the Iron Age from the ground floor. The end result isn’t always perfect, and the quality can somewhat vary from one short story to the next. However, I see a whole lot of potential underlying all of it. Simply put, if you’re looking for writing that isn’t afraid to take risks, try new and interesting things to propel the medium forward, then you can hardly find a better place for it than here.
As for the moment, what’s included is both new and exciting, and I’m absolutely thrilled to see what’s next in store from these young, talented creators.
If you would like to learn more about Tales of the Unreal, as well as its contributors, you can find it right here on Amazon.
That’s a hell of a review, my friend
I thought about submitting some of my stories to them, but I got the impression they were aiming for more high brow pulps similar to what Lovecraft wrote. I felt they wouldn't appreciate the schlock I write.